Maersk Reports Crew Stopped Spread of Container Fire on Vessel Off Africa
The container fire, which began last week on one of Maersk’s lager boxships, Marie Maersk, is believed to have stopped spreading, as firefighting efforts are expected to intensify. The 19,000 TEU vessel remains off the coast of Africa while the company is considering a port of refuge as the first step toward determining the full extent of the damage.
“This was also achieved thanks to the assistance of four assets, three tugboats and a Platform Supply Vessel,” said Maersk in its update. The company said the vessels had brought firefighting equipment to the Marie Maersk over the past days, and AIS signals show they remain in proximity to the ship. “We expect firefighting efforts to intensify further once the external firefighters can board Marie Maersk.”
The crew reported smoke coming from containers on the vessel early on August 13 while they were bound from Rotterdam to Malaysia and China. Maersk has said the crew remains safe with all machinery, steering, and navigational equipment fully operational. The Marie Maersk was diverted towards the West African coast to get landside support as fast as possible, and because of the large number of vessels diverting around Africa, additional Maersk vessels and others have also been in the vicinity.
“Due to the prevailing conditions in the respective cargo bays, we still cannot confirm the exact impact of the fire on the cargo yet,” Maersk stated. The goal is to get the vessel into a port of refuge where they can offload damaged containers and complete an inspection to determine the extent of the spread of the fire, smoke, and heat. The company has not said how many containers are aboard currently, but because they are outbound from Europe, it is possible the vessel is not fully loaded or is carrying empties.
Maersk reports the vessel will be diverted to a port of refuge, which is under contemplation. The goal is to get landside support as fast as possible.
The challenge is also finding a port that is willing to accept the vessel and has the capabilities to handle a container fire. In the case of the Maersk Frankfurt, which caught fire off India in July 2024, after the fire was brought under control, the vessel diverted to the Middle East. Another operator, X-Press Feeders, is again highlighting that ports in Qatar, India, and Sri Lanka refused permission when its vessel X-Press Pearl was desperately seeking refuge with a leaking container that ultimately caught fire and contributed to the total loss of the vessel.
Top photo from 2016 by Tvabutzku1234 - CC0 1.0
Two Ships Catch Fire, Killing Captain of One, Injuring Two Others in Korea
A fire started early on Saturday, August 16, spreading from one ship to another in the anchorage off Yeosu, South Korea. The local fire department in the city in southeastern Korea worked with the Coast Guard due to the risk of explosion as the two ships burned.
The fire broke out on a 2,692-dwt chemical tanker that was at anchor. The police declined to name the ship during the investigation. The fire spread to a neighboring vessel, which is being described as a 24-ton delivery ship. It is unclear if there was a transfer of chemicals was taking place.
The tanker was loaded with 2,500 tons of hazardous chemicals as well as 100 tons of fuel. The Coast Guard reports because of the high risk of an explosion, 15 vessels were mobilized.
Fire crews boarded the two vessels (Korea Coast Guard)
All 18 crewmembers, including 14 from the tanker and four from the smaller vessel, were evacuated. The fire department reports the captain of the smaller vessel, a man in his 50s, was confirmed deceased. Two Myanmar crewmembers from the tanker were also injured. One is in critical condition, and the second is only slightly injured.
Firefighting crews reported that the fire began around 0100 local time and by 0317 was extinguished on the smaller vessel. It took till 0745 to completely extinguish the fire on the tanker.
Both vessels were being inspected to confirm that the fire was out. The investigation will determine the cause of the fire.
Fincantieri Sues Citing $100M in Damages from Fraudulent Fire Insulation
Italian shipbuilder Fincantieri is suing the manufacturer of fire insulation panels it used in the construction of three cruise ships and eight military ships, alleging fraud and misrepresentation that it says caused over $100 million in economic damages as well as reputational harm. The shipbuilder is alleging that Paroc Group, which is owned by Owens Corning, obtained safety certificates under “false pretenses by submitting altered materials for testing,” and conspired to maintain the fraud and sell a defective product which endangered safety.
Paroc Group, which was acquired by Owens Corning in 2018, launched a new line of stonewool insulation products sold as fire safety panels for marine applications. The Navis line was promoted as a lighter-weight, fire-safe marine insulation for use in steel decks and bulkheads. Fincantieri reports that it and its subcontractors selected and began using the product in 2019 for both cruise ships and military vessels that required materials meeting the Class A-60 fire integrity standard.
A-60 is the highest-rated fire insulation material under the SOLAS regs and is designed to prevent the transfer of heat for a minimum of 60 minutes. It is typically used for steel bulkheads, such as with galleys or casings, to provide protection from the potential to transfer heat and fire aboard a vessel.
Fincantieri reports that it relied on the certification and the repeated assurances of the supplier for the integrity of the material. In 2023, a competitor of Owens Corning Paroc reported that it tested certain of the Navis products and found that they “did not in fact meet the fire integrity standards for Class A-60 products.” The competitor lodged a complaint, and independent testing by the Danish Institute of Fire and Security Technology in April 2023 confirmed the products were not compliant.
They allege in the suit that it required a deliberate effort to undermine the initial testing process leading to the certification. They further state that the fraud required manipulation of testing materials and repeated and coordinated falsification.
The product was recalled in May 2023, but Fincantieri writes in the lawsuit complaint that it “did not advise or instruct that any remedial actions be taken for completed vessels in service.” The Navis line was discontinued as of May 31, 2024.
Fincantieri identified that it used the product on a total of 11 ships, including the already delivered Discovery Princess, which went into service for Carnival Corporation’s Princess Cruises in March 2022, as well as two luxury cruise ships, Explora I and Explora II, under construction for MSC’s Explora Journeys. The other eight vessels, including two under construction, are military vessels.
Delivery of MSC’s Explora I was postponed for 21 days due to the need to replace the defective products. Fincantieri says it also delayed the delivery of Explora II in 2024 and Carnival Corporation’s Sun Princess being built for Princess Cruises.
Fincantieri says that it is incurring over $100 million in harm. It says the direct costs include to investigate, repair, and remediate affected vessels, as well as increasing construction costs. It also incurred liquidated damages and other costs resulting from delayed deliveries.
The suit was filed in U.S. District Court in Ohio, where Owens Corning is headquartered. The corporation, a leader in building materials, was involved in more than 20 years of litigation related to the use of asbestos in shipbuilding materials before filing for bankruptcy and settling those suits in 2000.
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